Former B.C. Social Credit MLA Bill Reid dies

Former Surrey MLA was tourism minister during Expo 86

Bill Reid, seen in this 2005 photo, was an MLA and tourism minister. (Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce)

Former B.C. Social Credit MLA Bill Reid has died at the age of 78. While details of his death have not been released, Reid had been battling cancer.

Reid was born in Nelson in 1937 and served as a Delta alderman from 1973 to 1978. As a Social Credit MLA he represented Surrey from 1983 to 1986 and Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale from 1986 to 1991.

"He was such a community person," said former Socred premier Rita Johnston, who worked closely with Reid in the 1980s.

Reid was well-known for his years of community service in Cloverdale where he was a member of the Kinsmen Club, the chamber of commerce, the Cloverdale Rodeo Board, the Surrey Heritage Society and the Fraser Valley Heritage Rail Society.

"They called him Mr. Surrey and Mr. Cloverdale because he got involved in anything. They needed a volunteer, there was Bill. He was just a wonderful family man," said Johnston.

Premier Christy Clark issued a statement saying British Columbia lost one of its most passionate promoters with Reid's passing.

"He had an unparalleled love for his province and was minister of tourism during Expo 86. He fully embraced the opportunity to tell the world what an incredible place British Columbia is."